News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-11-10
THE FEMININE SMUGGLER.
WORK OF INSPECTRESSE AT A
NEW YORK WHARF.
Examining a WOman's Trunks For
DutiabIe Goods-A Valuable Bus
tle-Caught in the Act.

Examining a Woman's Trunks For
DutiabIe Goods-A Valuable Bus
tle-Caught in the Act.
Indignant woman is not pleasant per-
son to run against, and usually people
give her a wide berth; but wait on the
docks of New York for a European
steamer and you find Der, notin the singu-
lar, but in the plural number. In former
years it was an easy matter to rush
through few (O presents, fifty or so.
Now, with the advent of women on the
docks as insEectresscs, a sad change has
come DER the spirit of the fair travellers
cream. These inspcctcesses are twenty
three in number, under the charge of
Mrs. Mary E. Williams, chief of the
bureau. I hey range in age from Is years
to that point where women stop having
birth days. Their hours at the Barge
Office on the Battery are from and A.
NJ. on alternate weeks, to p. NJ A com
petitiye civil service examination, such
as any pupil in the upper grammar grades
could pass, secures position and salary
of $93 amonth. When a vessel is sighted
off Fire Island its arrival is wired to the
Barge Office. At the Narrows the Gus
tom House officials board the great
steamer, and others, with inspectresses,
prepare to meet her when safely tied to
her landing. At one end of the gorge
ously fitted up saloon the men in brass
buttons and white caps with gilt insignia,
seat themselves and in Indian file the
| passengers come up to the impromptu
| desks.
"Your name 2" asks the officer,
81. Helene Jones'" So much is
honest.
"Alone or with an escort ,"
Here comes the rub. If unattended,
her ladvship must submit to the hundred
eyes of the female Argus detailed to in
spect the luggage Of ladies travelling
alone II with Il gentleman this is
/ avoided, and although She has tramped
all oTcr the Continent, and bought from
every shop in London and Paris without
any aid, the result, Just being pulled up
from the hold of the ship, at the present
moment she finds male protection a most
desirable thing. Her answer, truthfully
or no, goes down, and the next interro-
cation is regarding the number of trunks,
boxes, parcels and packages. They
must all be enumerated "big box, little
box, bandbox, and bundle"
"Dutiable or non-dut able" she is
asked Nine cases out of ten she smil-
ingly says she has nothing at all upon
which duty can be charged-in her
Judgment. Subsequent events prove that
differences of opinion still exist in this
cold, cruel world, where an unfeelng
Government persists in levying a tax on
female Triperie. Mademoiselle is then
passed to the man opposite and signs her
name to this paper. She has thus sworn
to possessing no dutiable articles. If
squeamish she may reply that she has a
few trifes and is asked to name them
and to place upon these a valuation.
Seldom is the true cost given, and often
sales bills are produced kindly arranged
by parties across, substantiating her
statements. The questioning closes with
a number handed her on Il check, CORE
spending to that on her sworn deposi-
tion. With it goes n printed circular
informing one that bribery is punishable.
The steamer reaches her pier.
Mile. Jones' in a new seal jacket and
Partisan bonnet brings down number.
less small parcels, her steward, gracious
under final tip, in the rear with port
manteau, rugs, and umbrellas. She en-
braces waiting admirers, announces she
chad perfectly lovely time; actually
gained sixteen poundsp this last fact
corroborated by an apparent increase in
volume and weight. Somehow her dress
improver has swelled, but she accounts
for this as the very latest from Regent
street fashion models. But keys are
called for. She is most voluble, too much
so for the cool miss in ulster now control
| ing all belongings. To the hand bag
| first dives the woman official Nothing
| there Her steamer trunk. Also empty,
mihtairess case IS s1i9S5i i,c tafi S
and boxes ditto. Still HihH Rugs, fur
cloak and umbrellas are now opened
| Miss Jones started with none, she now
carries four of a recent make. They pass.
| a second key opens huge Saratoga
! and each tray comes under inspection
! There is much head gear, suspiciously
new, but it goes as personal belongings.
Lingerie comes under inspection, but also
passes. Dresses of lac make are tossed
aside and into each corner go the quick
hands. All! Something hard is struck!
A box. Out it comes in a jiffy. Cover
torn off and through the packing comes
a pair of lovely vases. Thee are quietly
laid aside During this the owner is all
the time giving information, historical,
of the origin and cause of each article.
But Miss Inspectress is cooler than the
traditional cucumber
Another trunk is unstrapped and I'M
locked. Dresses, dresses everywhere,
some but quarter made and one of
dimensions twice Mile. j. Helcne's size
The keen eye of the examiner observes this
and the garment goes on top of the box,
followed by a gentleman's macintosh,
and later a lamp in royal Worcester, the
vase of the lamp stuffed with lace.
Gloves are plenty, but give way to silk
skirt. On the principle of set thief to
catch thief, put a woman to fathOm a
woman's ways, and you need not be sur
prised to see the inspectress hold up the
skirt to the light, rip open one of the
cores, and show round after round of
heavy jet stitched inside. The pile is
now of goodly size its owner tearfully
exclaiming: "It's shame; they're only
presents from friends in Englandw But
the inspectress heeds her not but goes
for the appraiscment with the deposition,
which she has all the time held in her hand.
Mile Jones begins to breathe easy. Po-
litely she is asked to place a value
upon the goods and she does so. Just as
she is shaking hands with herself, and
wondering if she will have enough left
in her portemonnaie to put up at the
Brunswick or the Fifth avenue, she is in
vited into q room on the dock. Farewell
to sweet delusive hope. Pandora never
left it in the box to be so cruelty
crushed.
A personal examination shows silk
petticoats with braid and bullion, and
lace ornamentation. Her pockets, jew
elry by the yard, and in her back hair,
when unbound, are found two shining
diamonds. The anatomy of the hustle
should be reeds or springs with tiny
cushion of hair. But hers is piece of
velvet which she could not duplicate in
the States, and scissors thrust in the
cushion stabs three meerSchaum pipes!
Behold her shorn and in foods of tears.
She calls cab, or some one does for her,
pays the duty on her little pile, amount
ing to about three fourths of their real
worth, and loses what has been taken
fom her person.-Progidence Journal.
How BeesWaX is Made.
IT is no mere eXtraneOuS substance